Improvement in locks for mail-bags



UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

WILLIAM W. GINGRICH AND C. S. COATES, OF MEXICO, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN LOCKS FOR. MAIL-BAGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 37,164, dated December 16, 1562.

To all whom, it may concern.:

Be it known that we, W'. \V. GINGRICH and C. S. CoA'rEs, ot' Mexico, in the county of Jnniata and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and nset'ul Improve ments in Mail-Bag Locks; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ot' the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters ot'ret'erence marked thereon.

In the Iannexed drawings, making part of this specification, A and B represent two metallxcjaws, which are hinged together at a; a', and which are constructed very much like the clasps in ordinary pocket-books, only on a much larger scale. These jaws are secured to the mailbag in any ot' the known and convenient ways. The jaw A is provided with a lock for securing the two jaws together.

l) and D are two parts ot' this lock, which consist of two metallic plates, constructed as iepresented lin the drawings, Figs. 3 and 4. These plates lie close together, and are secured to thejaw A by means ot'suitable loops, so that they can have a free endwise motion. Theplates are each provided with catches c c c, the Jr'orms ot' which are more fully shown in Fig. 2. The plate D is provided with a series ot slots, e e e, through which the catches of the plate E pass, allowing the plates to lit close together, and allowing` the catches ot' the different plates to face each other, as seen, Fig. 2.

A spring, s, presses against the edges of the two plates, as seen, Fig. l, so as to keep them together and in proper place. The springs 'i and in press against the ends ot' the plates, serving to give them endwise movements in opposite directions. Secured to the jawA is a spring, o, one end of which catches into a notch at g in the plate D, when said plate is moved in one direction.

(Jn the plate E, near one end, will be seen an inclined surta-ce from z to z. This inclined surface is intended to press against the spring o and release the bar D from said spring at the proper time, as will be set forth. c a, a are loops or staples upon the jaw B, which press between the catches o c and are held by said catches until released, as will be set forth.

In using this lock the key is inserted at the keyhole and is partially revolved from left to right. This moves the plate D endwise until the spring 0 catches into the notch at g and holds said plate in this position. The key is then reversed and the plate E is moved by it endwise, withdrawing` its catches c c from the loops a a.. The catches ot' the plate D are withdrawn trom the loops a et when said plate becomes secure upon the spring 0. As the plate E is moving back, as was described above, the two jaws are drawn apart, and, the catches having been alternately drawn out of the loops, they readily separate. The key, when turned a little farther than is necessary to loose the catches from the loops, moves the plate E so that its inclined portion from 2: to z presses against the spring 0 and releases the plate D, allowing it to assume its normal position. By the time the key has been moved halt around it has ceased to operate upon either plate, and they are both in their normal condition.

The key i'nay be revolved around and around in either direction without moving the catches from the loops. They can only be moved by partially rotating the key from left to right, then reversing the key and drawing the two jaws apart at the proper time, as has been described.

Any number of catches, and as many loops, may be used on the jaws to properly secure them together.

Having thus fully described our invention, we claimv The arrangement of thejaws A B, the plates E D, and the springs s, nz., t', and o, the several parts being constructed and used for locking the mouth ot" the bag at severa-l points at one time, as is herein fully set forth.

In testimony whereof we claim the foregoing we have set our hands.

WM. V7. GINGRICH. Vtnesses: C. S. GOATES.

Jol-1N MorzER, J No. I. APPLEBAGH. 

